Scholarship Week 5

Posted on by Sienna2188

sophie

Sophie

The PADI Junior Open Water Course went really well; we had a great weekend at the lake and everyone’s buoyancy and skills improved so much over just a couple of days. Congratulations to Bethan, Jake and Seren for becoming a newly qualified diver and enjoy the summers diving! Tuesday was a fun day at Access All Areas event with Andark giving children age 11- 17 years old in Fareham their first breaths underwater with a PADI scuba diving experience.

We had a great day at the PADI Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) UK office in Bristol learning what PADI is all about. Our mentor Margriet Schuur gave us a presentation on the international organization and her career in diving. Next up was a presentation on quality management from Su Li and the PADI member code of practise then a quick chat with Rich Somerset and Emma Hewitt, the PADI Regional Manager.

We met the Project AWARE Foundation team to find out what they do. Their aim is for divers to protect the ocean and they focus on saving vulnerable sharks and rays and clearing up marine debris. Follow what they’ve been up to on twitter #Divers4SharksNRays and #diveagainstdebris. I have pledged to follow the 10 tips for divers to protect the ocean planet including making responsible seafood choices and to become a debris activist. You can Search the Action Map for events near you to get involved with ocean conservation. I also signed up to My Ocean, their online eco community to find other members to take action together. Have a look at their website www.projectaware.org to find out more about their campaigns. I am passionate about ocean conservation as I study Marine Biology at University so Project Aware is a great resource to help make a difference.

To end the day we had a tour of the PADI office and met the marketing team; it was amazing to hear all the different languages spoken by the advisors on the phones. Thank you to Margriet and her colleagues for their time and for arranging the visit.

On Thursday I had a sunny day diving at Andark Lake with a Refreshers course; hope you have a great holiday in Greece Joey. This weekend I assisted with an Open Water Course in the pool with instructor Bob which went very well. Margriet Schuur, my PADI mentor, came down for the weekend to see how we are getting on and I helped her with a Discover Scuba Diving course for Jemma who took to the water like a fish!

***JOB OFFER*** Office Administrator for Diver Training

Posted on by Sienna2188

 Office Administrator for Diver Training Department 

Andark requires an administrator for busy Diver Training department.

Person should have excellent, friendly telephone manner and good people skills.

Ability to be able to sell over the phone and in person, our training courses here at Andark. Outgoing, happy personality.

Excellent IT skills – and be use to inputting data accurately in Student Data software or similar, able to use credit card machine, till and be good with money/maths.

Be familiar with social media and able to put up posts on Twitter and Facebook, ideally have used a mailing system. Photoshop skills or a similar program would be ideal, or be willing to learn and use this program.

Knowledge of Sailing and Diving would be useful but not essential, willingness to learn to Dive an asset.

Able to work on own initiative, be super organized and tidy, have a memory like elephant for what everyone is meant to be doing. Assist Diving Manager & Director with their admin/secretarial work.

Be able to communicate with Diver Training team with their weekly paperwork & ROTA and be able to sort problems out, when they occur.

The office environment is very busy with a lot of coming and goings, so the ability to focus on your job is essential.

Happy to make endless Tea & Coffee’s!

Please send CV for attention of S. Goddard to admin@andark.co.uk

Scholarship Week 4

Posted on by Sienna2188

Sophie

Women’s dive daSophiey was a great success! A very busy but enjoyable day and we were lucky with the weather. I started the day in the kit room organising wetsuits, BCDs, regulators and cylinders for everyone then up to Andark Lake to assist with a PADI Refreshers course. It was brilliant to see so many women of all ages kitting up and having fun doing the treasure hunt in the lake. There was so much going on with talks, PADI Discover Scuba Diving in the pool, kit displays from Suunto, Cressi and Apex and hunting for coins in Andark lake to win prizes. Emma Hewitt’s talk on her PADI career was very interesting and inspiring. Then it was straight into helping with Aquanauts in Andark Pool; the children were brilliant at mastering new skills. What a day!

 Sunday was calmer with a trip to Vobster Quay, a flooded quarry,  for the PADI Advanced Open Water Course. I spotted lots of little fish while doing surface cover then went on a Wreck dive with students to a sunken plane. I was fortunate to get an extra dive with Simon, a DM, who took me on an underwater tour of Vobster Quay and down to a caravan where the water temperature was 8’C! Much too cold for my liking but I’m glad I’ve done it. 

On Wednesday I helped out with evening training in the pool. It was great to watch students take their first breath underwater on the Discover Scuba Diving and to grow in confidence during the session. I’m now assisting with a PADI Junior Open Water Course where the students are learning new skills in the pool and are excited to be doing their first open water dives this weekend at Andark Lake. 

 Next week we are going to visit PADI headquarters for a sneak peak behind the scenes – I’m very excited! 

Michael Andark Scholarship, Week 1

Posted on by Sienna2188

I’m looking forward to a summer full of diving, meeting new people and learning lots through the Andark Divemaster Scholarship.  I grew up in Kent and have just finished studying Geography at the University of Southampton, with a particular interest in climate change and environmental issues. The scholarship is a brilliant opportunity for me to learn new skills and have fun whilst doing so! I’d love diving to be a big part of my life and/or career in the future, perhaps even becoming an instructor. The Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver and Emergency First Response courses which I have just completed at Andark were challenging, rewarding and very enjoyable. I’m extremely thankful to Andark, PADI and Suunto for the scholarship, and look forward to meeting those involved in the planning and sponsorship over the summer, including an upcoming visit to Suunto.

 

Michael

image

Sophie’s First blog about the Andark Scholarship

Posted on by Sienna2188

I am excited to be doing the Andark Scholarship for PADI Divemaster this summer. I have just completed my PADI Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver and Emergency First Response with Andark and can’t wait to begin the Divemaster. I’m looking forward to visiting the Suunto factory in the next few weeks to thank them for the sponsorship. I met Mike Rushworth from Reveal Coaching last week to plan out my goals for this summer.

I’ve completed my first year at the University of Southampton studying Marine Biology. I began diving this year through a university society and absolutely loved it and I hope to be able to use diving for research in my future career. I grew up in rural Gloucestershire (quite far from the sea!) and I am a Girlguiding Rainbow leader in my free time.

Sophie

Andark scholarship

PADI’s Women Dive Day – 16th July

Posted on by Sienna2188

PADI’s Women Dive Day – 16th July

At Andark this year, we are hosting a PADI Women in Dive Day. We have lots of great activities, guest speakers and fantastic prizes on offer.

WomensDiveDay

Women’s Dive Day was such a success last year that we will be running it again this year. The aim is to celebrate all the amazing Ladies that enjoy SCUBA and being in or around the water. Make sure you mark the 16th July into your diaries and join the event to stay updated on what we will be planning.

The itineray is confirmed;

0900: Meet at Andark for equipment hire and rental.

0930 Event begins at Andark Lake.

1000: Refreshers in the Lake.

1030 Start of Treasure Hunt in the Lake, brief the divers on
what needs to be found and how to claim it later.

1100 Terry Scott diving for the Underwater Photo booth.

1300 Discover Scuba Diving Experience in the pool.

1330 Marguerite St Leger Dowse Presentation on Women’s health and diving.

1400 Shelley Jory-Leigh, British Powerboat Champion Presentation.

1430 Emma Hewitt PADI RM Presentation on Women’s careers within diving and PADI.

1530 Prize giving for Treasure Hunt, Discover Scuba Diving and Photo Competition.

1630 Event finishes.

 

To book in for the Treasure hunt and photo booth call 01489 885811 or email aaron@andark.co.uk.

We will have reduced entry fees for those booking on to the treasure hunt, members £6.00 and Non Members £7.50 for the day.

To book the Open Water Refreshers in Andark Lake or the Discover Scuba Diving Experience in our indoor heated pool call Debbie on 01489 581755 or email debbie@andark.co.uk.

Prices:

Refreshers – £35 including lake entry.

Discover Scuba Diving Experience – £25 with a chance to win your PADI Open Water Diver Course worth £379.

To hire equipment please book at Andark Shop, kit hire will be charged at Sunday Dive prices.

PS220 Xtreme Surface Drysuit

Posted on by Sienna2188

The PS220 Xtreme is the culmination of several years research into making suits to cope with the most extreme conditions found in the worlds oceans. The prototype designs and fabrics were tested in the harshest of environments including the Volvo Ocean race, the Sydney Hobart, powerboat circumnavigations of the British Isles and Xtreme Sea kayaking in the Arctic, in order to produce the best possible combination of Durability, Performance and safety. The result raises the bar on what sailors and Kayakers can now expect from their drysuit, as well as providing a vision of extreme dry clothing of the future.

Read more